Patel arrested in US

The FBI says Patel was arrested without incident at his home in the US. (File photo)

Network Seven: AAP

Jayant Patel, the surgeon who has been linked to the deaths of 17 patients at Bundaberg Base Hospital, is due to appear in an American court this morning to face extradition proceedings.

Australia has been trying to extradite Patel to face 16 charges, including three of manslaughter and five of grievous bodily harm.

The FBI says the 57-year-old was arrested without incident at his home in Portland, Oregon, in America's north-west early this morning (Australian time).

He is due to make his first court appearance later this morning.

A family friend, Dr Vijay Mehta, has told AM that Patel will fight the extradition.

"His wife has told me that the best chance he has got is to fight extradition because they're not sure that they can even expect a fair trial in Australia with all the publicity and all the demonising that you made him out," he said.

"I mean, he's like if Osama bin Laden can get a fair trial in the United States, then Patel can get a fair trial in Australia."

"I think he should be charged for medical malpractice. He should be charged for having too many complications, but just calling him Dr Death and charging him with manslaughter ... I think that is going too far."

A full interview with Dr Mehta can be heard on this morning's AM.

The Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions has been trying to extradite the former director of surgery at the Bundaberg Base Hospital for some time.

The Indian-born Patel is a US citizen who worked for years in Oregon before losing his licence because of a series of botched surgeries. He fled Queensland in April 2005.

The president of the Bundaberg Hospital Patients' Support Group, Beryl Crosby, says they have been waiting three years for Patel's arrest.

"Everybody is elated and relieved ... it has been a long time coming and the wheels of justice are in motion," she said.

"There's some stalwarts ... in our group and we've never given up hope that this day would come.

"We always said that we knew this day would happen. The rest is yet to unfold but we always said this was the point we needed to get to."

In a statement, Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions Leanne Clare says it is essential that Australian authorities make no further public comment about the matter while the extradition process goes through the US courts.